FOURTH GRADE AT ELKMONT

The Limestone County school system was ranked fourth in a Niche.com list of best public school systems in Alabama this week. The ranking is a major improvement from last year's rankings that placed the county system at 93rd in the state. Niche.com uses multiple student surveys, math and reading proficiency levels and good customer service ratings to determine its rankings, according to organizers.

“As a school system on an A to F report card, we’re ranked as an A minus overall,” said Dr. Tom Sisk, superintendent of Limestone County Schools, in reference to the announcement.  Along with various platforms, educational programs, reformative ideas and building campaigns, the Limestone County schools' aim is to keep growing and getting better, Sisk said.

“Why do you think Limestone is ranked so high? Well, let’s go to Elkmont. Let’s go to a fourth-grade class,” Sisk said. He then explained that Elkmont fourth-graders were given an assignment that asked how Limestone could feed more people with existing farmland. “They had to develop a project — project-based learning — that goes back to the pedagogical platform.”

The students then decided the best way to increase the amount of produce that comes out of the field was through vertical farming. Using math, science, research and technology skills, fourth-grade students were able to come up with a solution, he said.

“This is redefining education,” explains Sisk, “We’re not number one yet, but we’ll get there.”